NejiTen OneShots
by whateverbro
Summary: You have no idea what you do to me. You can make me feel more emotions in one second than I normally feel in one year.
1. Heaven Sent

**Heaven Sent**

"Hey, Neji!" Said Hyuuga made no effort to comply to the beckoning call. He only continued to stomp angrily down the path, earning rude whispers from the estranged by-stander he'd just brushed off. Not like he cared, though. Apparently, he was bent on reaching the residence of the only _'flower' _of his team, as his annoying, moronic teammates had put it.

Now, Neji was never one to skip training, even if it meant with his spandex-clad teammates. But only under one circumstance: Tenten would be there. Otherwise, he'd be found training with his uncle at the Hyuuga compound.

Today, that circumstance was left besmirched. And Neji was definitely _not _happy.

Nearing her home, he breathed heavily, the scowl on his face deepening and the steps of his feet hastening. He was just a few blocks away..

- When suddenly, a voice called from above.

"Neji!" Looking up, the Hyuuga's eyes widened. Thinking as quickly as a Hyugga ever could, he stretched his arms in front and buckled his knees, preparing for the oncoming impact.

_WOOSH!_

Neji faltered a bit as Tenten landed square in his arms, an amused smile on her lips.

"Fancy meeting you here, Neji." She said casually, both her arms locked securely around his neck.

"_Tenten_." He muttered through grit teeth. He was fighting so _unbelievably _hard to suppress a cry. Not only had she _not _attended training, but for some insane reason, she'd just jumped out of their window.. From the second freakin' story! Now who in their right mind would do that?!

"Yes Neji?"

"Why-" _in fucking hell _"-did you just jump off a 150-foot building?" He asked unsettlingly deadpan. Contrary to what his genius Hyuuga logic had expected, she smiled so softly and adorably that he'd lost his train of thought for that mere, blissful second. _Had she always had that glint on her eyes? And did she always smile like this?_ Neji racked his brain for a sensible answer. Unfortunately, he wasn't give much time to.

Slowly, she advanced, closing the gap between them. This was not what Neji had expected when he decided to storm into her house. He thought there would be more.. Anger. Not.. _This._

_Is she..? _It took a while for him to register that, yes, she was indeed about to kiss him. Panic surged through him. Not Hiashi-sama or Gai-sensei had prepared him for such a situation. What's a hormonal 16-year old to do?

She was nearing..

"Uhh.. Tenten?" _What the hell was he supposed to do?! Was he supposed to kiss back?!_

Only inches were left..

Neji tilted his head back, unprepared for the contact.

Just a hair's breadth away..

And just when their noses were touching, just when it took the softest push to bring their lips together, she stopped. But her expression remained, a loving smile on her lips and a hazy look in her eyes.

"You caught me, didn't you?" She whispered sultrily, and instantly, he caught the double meaning in her words. Finding passion, he quickly tilted forward and captured her lips with his own.

She tasted absolutely _heavenly._

_

* * *

_

**A/N**: Just a short drabble. I'll probably end up revising this soon though, seeing as it's 10:35 on a school night. xD I should _not _be doing this, so don't tell my mom! Anyway, constructive criticism _always _welcome. Thanks for taking the time to read! c:


	2. This Time

_Pairing_: NejiTen

_Genre_: Romance/Angst

_This Time_

_by John Legend_

"Hai. Thank you, Hinata-sama." She bows curtly before retreating back to the training grounds. Meanwhile, Neji sighs in exasperation. _What does Hiashi-sama want now? _Slightly reluctantly, Neji ventures towards the Hyugga compound.

Five years have passed and the Hyugga was now 21 and a high-ranking ANBU official. Certainly, he had not wasted his years. He'd used it training. Training _so vigorously_, in fact that he'd spent only a few moths as Jonin before being appointed as ANBU. Yes, Neji definitely did not waste his time. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about his social life, romantically speaking.

Speaking of Neji's love life, the Hyuuga should look more carefully before turning a corner.

_CRASH!_

The smaller figure (which isn't Neji) stumbles and falls.

"Ooohh.." Neji groans, rubbing his sore forehead.

"Oh God! I am so- Neji?" Said Hyuuga looks down and blinks.

"Tenten?" _So beautiful.. _He thinks, and suddenly, his hand shoots down at her as a last-minute gesture of courtesy. His heart pounds, nervously, forcefully against his ribcage, palms sweating every second his hand hangs between them. She eyes it skeptically before smiling that genuine, heart-wrenching, time-bending smile Neji is cursed to have seen. _It's so _so _beautiful.._

She latches onto his hand, accepting his offer and sparks quickly rush up his hands, his arms, all throughout his body. And he realizes her skin.. How soft it was.. How small her hands were.. How it perfectly fit in his.. _Dear Kami, he was crazy._

He hoists her up, quickly realizing how much _more _beautiful she actually looks up close.

"Hey, Neji." She releases his hand, much to his chagrin. "It's been ages, hasn't it? How've you been?" She smiles warmly, beautifully, not knowing the chaotic effect it has on the Hyuuga's once clear, systematic thoughts. _So incredibly, unbelievably beautiful.. _

"I've been fine." He answers, surprised at his show of placidity. He pockets his trembling hands, frustrated and nervous. G_orgeous.. _He stares at her, hanging intently on every word that comes out of those luscious lips.

"Yeah." She adds, hoping to break the awkward tension. "I.. I see you've.. Got back f-from that.." She swallows. "..Mission." And the awkward tension actually thickens.

Then it hits him. How there was once a _them. _It wasn't the most memorable time of his life.. In fact, he barely even remembered anything about it, he was ashamed to admit. He had been quite involved in his training, that much he could recall. He was preparing for initiation as ANBU, so of course he had to train, right?!

Right?

"Yes. I've actually been back a few months now." He adds unhelpfully and unexpectedly calmly, adding more to the already unbelievably awkward tension.

"Oh." She smiles a forceful smile. It didn't look as.. beautiful, he discerns.

"Well, I guess I better get going. It was nice seeing you." She waves a brief farewell before turning away.

_I miss her.._

--

"Good morning, Hiashi-sama." He bows mannerly before sitting beside the elder Hyugga on the circular furniture.

"Good morning, Neji." Hiashi replies formally, apathetically. "I apologize for the short notice. The elders and I have discussed this only recently." He looks Neji in the eye, slightly condescendingly. Neji doesn't falter under his gaze. The elder Hyugga frowns, sighs then relaxes back into his chair.

"I'm sure you're familiar with the main branch's.. Privileges." Neji nods curtly. "Yes, well.. With the current Hokage's requests to reform the clan's principles, the elders have been debating on who would be most deserving as Clan head among your generation." Neji's interest and hope sparks, his brow raising.

"Expectantly, _you_, Neji, were their top choice." Suddenly, Neji finds himself biting back a grin, before seeing Hiashi frowning. "But.."

"..You must marry a Hyuuga."

--

"I can't believe this." Shikamaru eyes the fifth cup of sake the Hyuuga has downed. "When I dated her, I barely even _remembered _any dates we went to. Five years later, I now suddenly find her _incredibly attractive_?!" Sixth shot.

"Not only that, but I actually _refuse _to be Clan head." Seventh. "One more bottle please, sir." He gestures to the waiter, who nods in reply.

"Tell me, Nara.." He ventures. "How did you and Temari get together?" For the first time that evening, Shikamaru is given a chance to speak.

He shrugs. "Just told her I liked her. She ended up liking me back. It's not that complicated, really." He finishes, just as the waiter serves their third bottle of sake.

"Yes it is." And Neji takes a generous swig directly from the bottle. Shikamaru raises a brow at the Hyuuga's uncharacteristic antics.

"If you keep drinking, I have no doubts you'll end up at her door tonight." Neji doesn't waver. Instead, he continues with his tenth shot.

"I have a very high alcohol tolerance." He continues. "And besides, I may need the leverage." Eleventh. The Nara only smirks.

"The drunk mind speaks the sober heart." He downs his third shot. He swore _never _to get drunk during his relationship with Temari.

The Hyuuga snorts. "You would know." An amused smile. "You were drunk when you told Temari, weren't you?" The Nara's smirk widens.

"I very much was."

--

"I thought you said you had high alcohol tolerance." Shikamaru gently sets the cup of coffee on the table, plopping down on his bed beside the flushed Hyuuga.

"I think I lied." Neji scrunches up his face, taking a sip of coffee. Shikamaru noted how Neji didn't slur, despite being totally wasted. He wondered if all Hyuuga's were like that. Suddenly, Neji shifts towards him, hastily, _awkwardly. _

"Do you love Tenten?" Neji blurts out.

"WHAT?"

"Because.. I think _I _love her." Hyuuga's may not slur, but they sure were idiots when they were drunk.

--

Neji's eyes widen at the sight before them. "So beautiful.." He murmurs, before Shikamaru nudges him to keep silent.

Tenten's brows shoot up. "What are-? Oh geez. He's drunk." She shakes her head in disappointment. "He's drunk and you took him _here_?!"

"I'm really sorry, Tenten, but I didn't know where else to go."

"What about_ your _place?!" He quickly produces a lie, knowing full well it was _his _house they'd just been from.

"My parents would _kill_ me if they found out I was drinking this late-"

"-_Again_." She scolds. "What about Naruto? Kiba? _Lee?_" She adds desperately.

"It's Naruto and Sakura's anniversary, that's pretty self-explanatory. And Kiba and Lee are on missions. Come on, Tenten. It's just for one night."

She glares, shifting gazes between the two geniuses.

"You're both idiots." She concludes verbally, then sighs in defeat. "Fine." Sidestepping, she makes way for Shikamaru to guide Neji into her home. Shikamaru drops him roughly on the couch.

"Thanks, Tenten. Neji really owes you."

"So do you." She spats. He reaches her front steps, when he twirls around and speaks.

"One more thing, I-"

_SLAM!_

"I am _so _telling Temari you got drunk." She quips against the closed door. Gingerly, hesitantly, she turns to see a flushed Hyuuga staring intently at her.

"Hey there." A nervous, forced laugh emanates from her throat. "I'll go make coffee." She flees to the kitchen, breathing a sigh of relief. She places a shivering hand on her chest, feeling the inhumane heart rate..

Why was it so hard seeing him now? Wasn't he just the same power-hungry, fatalistic Neji Hyuuga she'd dated five years ago? Maybe a little taller.. More mature,_ hotter_, even, but on the inside, he should be the same.

She sighs in defeat then goes on to prepare his coffee. _I kind of miss him, though.. _Suddenly, a rough hand slides gently up her arm and she finds her heart on her throat. She can't breath properly, it's hitching and her thoughts are hazy, blurry.

"Tenten.." He whispers against her nape, the scent of alcohol tainting his breath. She shivers blissfully under his control. "You are _so _beautiful." She uses her mouth to breath, to breath _properly_. She freezes, her brain unable to produce coherent thoughts anymore.

_Where the hell was this five years ago?!_

"Neji, no." She wills, despite her inner cries. She knows what will happen if they ever venture through this again. She doesn't want this. Not anymore.

She pushes him away, a puzzled expression looking foreign on the Hyuuga's features. But he doesn't know it breaks her heart too.

"I don't want this to happen again. I learned the first time." She shakes her head and goes back to preparing the coffee. "Please, just stay in the living room."

He is frustrated, confused and _man_, is his head killing him. But still, despite the bleary vision, he sees the incomparable _beauty _that was the girl before him.

Quickly, he grips her arms and rests his forehead on her shoulder. "Tenten.." He speaks, and he suppresses the urge to hug her, to pull her _beautiful_, tiny body against his, to bury his nose into that bundle of silk, brown hair. _God, she was just so damn _beautiful, _it was so _surreal.

He relieves her shoulders of his head and stares into those eyes. Those _beautiful_, perfect pools of brown. Slowly, he inches towards her, her addicting aroma wafting up his nostrils. She doesn't protest. She just stands there, waiting for the contact. Closer.. Just a little bit more..

Suddenly, he feels a hand against his chest and realizes she is pushing him away, away from the kiss.. Seeing her pained expression, his heart breaks and falls.

"Neji, we don't want this. You and I both know how this is gonna end. You'll stand me up for training.." She trails, and he realizes that she is about to cry. She wipes violently at her eyes, frustrated at the fact that she was actually _crying. _His heart feels strangled, _Did _I _make her cry? _"A-and.. I'll.. I-I'll end up.."

He doesn't let her finish. Instead, he captures her words with his lips, and _God, it feels SO GOOD_. He feels her push him away, albeit faintly. He doesn't part, though. He just wants her _so bad. _He'll leave after this, he swears. Maybe she'll hate him, but _dear Kami, this was _SO _worth it._

**This time, I'll take the chance.**

And when he pulls away, he doesn't open his eyes. He can hear their labored breathing and he could _feel _her glares. He savors the moment before having to look at the angry, betrayed eyes he just knows is coming.

Before he opens his eyes, he whispers an "I love you." with as much sincerity and longing as he can muster. Those words were just five years overdue, he regrets.

**This time, I'll be your man.**

He opens his eyes slowly, hesitantly, and he sees her tears. _I made her cry _again? He thinks, and frantically blurts out an apology before turning to leave. For a genius, he truly was just an idiot.

"I'll show myself out." He says, not even sure where the hell he was gonna go.

"Neji?" She speaks and he stops mid-step. "Did you mean that?" And he could _feel _the hurt and hope and longing in her tone. He looks back at her. "Did you mean what you said? That.. That you.. _Loved_ me?" He quickly found himself nodding vigorously.

"You don't _know_ how much I've thought of the word 'beautiful' since I saw you this morning."

**I can be all you need.**

She cracks a smile, so sincerely and genuinely and _lovingly_ that his heart stops and breathing hitches. For a moment, he is tempted to tell her to stop smiling so _beautifully _for it makes him go _unbelievably crazy_ inside.

"But.. How do I know things will be different?" She hesitates. He smiles and walks to her. His smile is _so _loving and warm and touching that he swears her knees went weak. He catches her though, embracing her tightly.

"Marry me, and I will _prove_ that Ninja ranking and training comes only second to you."

**This time, it's all of me.**

* * *

A/N: Just so you know, she said yes. ^^ Ooooh, I love this song. John Legend's voice is just amazing. Excuse me if they were OoC in any parts of the story.

BTW, I need a BetaReader. XD And once again, constructive criticism is always welcome, so please REVIEW! C:


	3. AntiEmo

_Summary_: Neji is not a man of emotion.  
_Genre_: I don't even know..  
_Warning: _Unbeta'd. :)

_**Anti-Emo**_

Neji is not a man of much emotion.

He does not smile.

**1 … :) … 1**

"Say cheese!"

A chorus of "CHEESE!" was heard from Team Gai. But the flash didn't come.

"Hey kid," The photographer called out to Neji, still positioned behind his camera. "Smile a little, will ya?"

Neji produced a rude "Hn." before turning away.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Excuse him. Apparently, smiling isn't part of his destiny."

**2 … :) … 2**

"Nothing." Naruto concluded begrudgingly, shaking his head. "You numb, numb bastard."

"_What _did you call me?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" Naruto's hands raised in surrender, chuckling nervously as Neji calmed himself.

"That's because none of your faces were funny." Sakura said, shoving Naruto to the side and occupying his previous spot, directly in front of the Hyuuga.

"Some of them were.." Naruto defended pathetically.

"No, they were _all _stupid. Now shut up and let me try!"

A series of stupid, aggravating faces later . . .

"Nothing." Sakura concluded. "You emotionless prick.."

Quickly, she ran away.

* * *

He does not laugh.

**.Ahi**UNO**hihi.**

"And then, and then, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Kiba burst out laughing. As did the rest of the gang present, namely Neji, Ino and Sakura.

Well, I guess not _all _of them were laughing.

"Geez, Neji!" Ino said through muffled laughs. "Did someone die or something?!"

"Yeah! _His sense of humor_!" Kiba cried, starting another round of cackling laughter. This only made Neji's scowl deepen.

"I fail to see what's so funny." Neji retorted, deadpan. The whole group stopped laughing to stare awkwardly at Neji.

Sakura shook his head. "You are seriously dead inside."

**.Ahi**DOS**hihi.**

"I feel the youthfoooOOAAAAAAAAHHHH!!" Lee wailed as he fell from the highest branch of the largest, tallest tree in the training grounds.

"Ooof!" He cried, crashing into a branch on the way down. "Arg! Ouch!" After a few more branches..

"Urg! Ugh! . . . I-is it f-fi- YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!-"

_CRASH!_

He landed face first on the harsh, solid ground, tufts of leaves and twigs protruding from his tangled mane. His legs contorted in a way that they hung above his head. "Ow."

Tenten watched with a blank face as Lee's eyes and legs began twitching in pain. Suddenly, "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" She laughed until her eyes were watering and her sides were aching.

Neji, however, did not find it as amusing. He shook his head. "You lack training, Lee." And then he walked away..

* * *

He does not cry.

**.Sniff.**

"Here." Ino stretched her hands out, a bouquet of perfectly arranged flowers appearing in front of Neji. "On the house." She smiled sympathetically, receiving nothing but a blank nod from the cold-hearted Hyuuga.

Neji took the flowers from Ino's hand, grateful. Looking down, he stared at the lone grave of Hizashi Hyuuga.

It was his father death anniversary today. Incidentally, the sun was not shining as brightly as he expected. The clouds seemed to sense his sorrow and grief. They darkened considerably.

Neji lowered his head in respect. "Father." For a few moments, his head remained down. Ino thought he was about to cry, understandably. She raised a hand to place on his shoulder, but he'd already looked up.

"Let's go." He said coldly, not sparing another glance at the grave. Ino looked at him with sadness. It wasn't healthy to keep emotions bottled up.

* * *

The only emotion he was familiar with was anger.

one**ARGH!**

"NARUTOOO!" A blur of white zipped through the village, but not before an orange-clad Naruto sped through with a frightened expression.

"I-I swear, Neji! I didn't do it! I-I'M INNOCENT!!" Naruto cried. "I-It was Kiba!! HE made out with your cousin! NOT ME!" Neji did not falter. "OH COME ON! You gotta believe me!"

two**GRR!**

"People are born burdened with a destiny they cannot oppose." Neji's anger brewed within, barely containing itself. "YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE BURDENED WITH A SYMBOL YOU COULD NEVER RID YOURSELF OF!" Neji pointed accusingly at the bloodied and bruised Naruto.

Unnervingly, a rough laugh emanated from the blonde. "Yeah.. I can.."

* * *

_Until one day.._

"Hey Neji!" Neji turned, watching as Tenten ran towards him. She skidded to a halt in front of him, still slightly panting. "Man, you walk fast!"

"What was it you wanted, Tenten?"

A bit startled by his offhandedness, Tenten's wide eyes fixated on him, then shifted away uneasily. "Well," She started nervously, gulping. _Here goes nothing.._

"Okay, look. We all know you're a cold-hearted, emotionless jerk," Neji cocked a brow. "But for some reason, . . . I like you." Quickly, she closed her eyes. "And by that, I mean.. _like _like." As her eyes remained closed, she listened intently for any signs of rejection. Unable to hear anything, she slowly opened her eyes, risking a glance at the Hyuuga, which apparently resulted to even more restless nerves as she watched his wide eyes and blank face.

"B-but if you don't want to, I totally understand! I mean, I can.." She trailed off, feeling the touch of his palm on her cheeks. She was rendered speechless. Slowly looking up, her eyes locked with the most beautiful eyes that were squinted by the genuine, sincere smile on his face. Her eyes widened even more.

"You're . . . smiling." She whispered, flabbergasted. He then laughed. And once again, words failed her.

She'd never heard him laugh before. _He had a cute laugh_, she discerned.

Noticing the look on her face, Neji smiled. "You've never heard me laugh either, have you?" Tenten shook her head meekly.

"Then I should hope you'll be seeing more of my smile and hearing more of my laugh from now on."

She laughed. "Only if you actually do them."

Neji was not a man of emotion.

But he was getting there.


	4. Withdrawal

**Withdrawal  
by simplyme26 **

"Tenten, you're being unreasonable." Neji scolded, deflecting yet another kunai. Tenten raised her eyebrows in contempt, a scoff escaping her throat.

"UNREASONABLE?!" Tenten cried, pulling out her scroll and sending another flurry of weapons upon the Hyuuga. Neji scowled, adopting his notorious stance.

"Kaiten!" And in a whirl of blue, the weapons clashed against Neji's chakra, quickly falling to the ground. But Tenten's fury didn't subside. She was still angry as hell.

"You _know_ how much I've trained for this mission, Neji! I deserve this!" She yelled sharply, pulling out another kunai from God knows where and charging at him. She extended her arm in an attempt to stab his shoulder, but he was able to grab both her wrists before they could make any deadly contact with his body.

"Tenten, your opponent is an S-ranked nin who uses wind-based jutsus and is, thus, long-ranged. Much like Temari-san, he is the wrong match for you." He reasoned, avoiding any concern or sentimentality to come to his tone. "He will kill you." He glared, ending with a note of finality. Tenten looked at him, at the austerity of his eyes.. But she tried to see past his cold-hearted exterior, past the emotional (or lack thereof) barrier he never lets down.

She couldn't. She sighed.

"Look, Neji.." She started as he loosened his hold on her wrists. "I'm glad that you care and all, but you can't just request my withdrawal from a mission I've been training so hard for, especially without my permission. I've improved, you know that. I can handle it." Neji let go of her wrists, maintaining that stoic expression. "Now come on, let's go tell Lady Tsunade I want that mission back." She smiled warmly, grabbing his hand. But he refused to budge.

"No."

" . . . WHY THE HELL NOT?!" She growled, letting another mass of weapons rain down on him. He was quick to defend, activating his Byakugan and deflecting everything.

Once all the weapons were thwarted, Neji continued. "I've told you before, Tenten. Your chances of victory are slim."

Tenten glared at him, letting metaphorical daggers stab at him. "So you're saying I'm not good enough?" Neji remained unfazed.

Suddenly, a voice called. "Oh for Kami's sake- IT'S CAUSE HE LIKES YOU, TENTEN!"

"SHUT UP, NARUTO!"

Neji stiffened visibly. Naruto and Sakura were there.. Who else?! And how the hell could he have not sensed them?!

A small distance from Neji, Tenten snorted audibly. "Yeah, right." She barely whispered. "I believe Sakura has the hots for you too, Naruto!" She laughed.

"WHAT?! TENTEN!"

"R-really?"

"N-NO!"

Tenten laughed. "C-can you believe them?!" And laughed. Neji stared at her, partly relieved she didn't take Naruto's comment seriously.

But then again, why wouldn't she? Was it so hard to believe that he may have liked the pretty brunette? That he actually found her brown eyes enticing? That when her equally brown hair was down, he would sometimes stare at her in disbelief and awe?

Really, was that so hard to believe?

"I . . . really _do_ like you, Tenten." He said, a blush tainting his cheeks.

And with that, Tenten's laughter subsided instantly. She stared at him with the brown eyes Neji found so enticing. "You . . . What?"

He froze. Neji really didn't want to repeat that, especially with the 'WTF?!' expression she was issuing him. And blurting that out the first time was hard enough, what more a second time?

Embarrassedly, Neji scowled then folded his arms over his chest and turned away, a blush evident on his cheeks. "I believe you heard me the first time." Great. His reputation as the Ice King was ruined!

Tenten continuously stared at him, befuddled. _He strips me of my mission because.. He _likes_ me? _"You were worried.."

Neji's blush reached a new level of red.

Tenten couldn't help but think that that was the sweetest thing anybody had ever done for her.

"So you don't wanna say it again, huh?" She teased playfully. Neji's scowl adorably softened and he looked up as inconspicuously as he could, refusing to answer.

She went on. "Fine, then. Goes I'll just go.. Maybe help Naruto with the Sasuke retrieval mission, you know. Wouldn't want his pretty little-"

"I love you."

Tenten's breath hitched and her heart stopped for a second. "That's not . . ." _What you said. . . _She stared at him, forgetting all the other prying eyes a few feet away.

Neji retained that famous scowl, but with a new-found determination. "Forgive me if that's not what you wanted to hear." He said, inching towards her. "But . . . it _is _the truth." He found himself less than a feet from her, their faces inches away, their lips.. He was _so _close. Her face remained blank.

She shook her head. "Are you.. Are you _sure_ that's the truth?"

He looked at her, lifting his hands and placing them gingerly upon her cheeks.

He didn't answer, as he firmly pressed his lips against her own. Her breath left her, and it was strangely like they really were the only ones presently there.

As she smiled against his lips, she couldn't help but be glad that she didn't have to go on that mission.

That way, she and Neji could waste time together.

–-

"Aww . . . That's _so SWEET._" Sakura squealed. "I wish that would happen to me.."

Kiba nudged Naruto, who yelped audibly. "Dude, hear that? She wants you to do that too." Naruto swallowed.

When suddenly, Ino interjected. "Oh, honey." She placed a hand on Naruto's shoudler. "This is a _NejiTen _fic. Go to the NaruSaku fandom. You'll love it there!"


	5. Trust

**Trust**  
_by simplyme26 _

Her long, skilled fingers trailed over each bulging vein, completely disregarding the pair of white eyes scrutinizing her movement. Tenten furrowed her brows, mind wandering on the mechanics of such an impressive and powerful kekkei genkai.

"Tenten." Neji said firmly, a warning. Tenten did not waver, simply looked him in the eye for a solid ten seconds and rested her palms over his.

Neji sent her an ominous glare through his Byakugan. He knew she was trying to uncover his secrets, _their _secrets. She's treading on very dangerous waters. If even one Hyuuga so much as caught a glimpse of them, they were both doomed.

Suddenly, Neji once again felt cold, flexible fingers run over the sensitive skin of his temple. A chilling shiver ran up his spine, as he sighed. Tenten, too immersed in studying the workings of his inheritance, didn't notice how he shook, just the tiniest bit, at her touch.

"Tenten." He repeated, slightly pleadingly, and it catches Tenten's attention.

He grabbed her hand, all four fingers wrapped tightly in his, and placed a hand at her nape. With a harsh pull, he shoved their lips together. The kiss was quick and awkward and stiff, but it made Neji's heart flutter nonetheless.

When they pulled away, Neji kept their foreheads connected, holding her in place by her nape. "I trust you, Tenten." He said in a tone too professional. "That is why I'm letting you do this."

Tenten nodded weakly, eyes closed and heart pounding and head spinning. Her fingers fumbled with the hem of a shirt- whose shirt, she didn't know. "I know." She whispered.

"What we're doing, it merits grave consequences when found out by the elders."

"I know."

He furrowed his brows. She was doing it again. She was acting exactly how the clan did, exactly how the clan wanted everyone to act. She was speaking in monosyllabic words, agreeing with everything he said. She wasn't supposed to do that- the Tenten _he _knew would never do that. "Stop that." He said, earning him a surprised look.

"Stop what?"

He didn't respond. She already knew. He knew she knew.

After what seemed like a long enough silence, Neji spoke. "The clan does not determine who you are."

"They determine who you marry."

"They don't." His voice was harsh, offensive and for a moment, he regret speaking to her like that. His heart broke at her wince. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to think you need to change yourself for them." He cupped her cheek, caressing the space beneath her eye with a thumb. "I fell in love with you because you were free, unlike most of us. I want you to stay free."

She chuckled, despite the heavy tension, and he was quickly reminded why he loved her. "Well, if I'm gonna marry you, then I guess I won't be staying free for long, huh?"

He smiled a rare, genuine smile. "You're so sure we're going to get married." He said challengingly, like a question.

"Of course." She placed a palm over the hand cupping her cheek. "I don't love anybody else. You?"

He shook his head. "No one else. Just you."

She smiled brightly, touching his temple. With a quick clench and unclench of his eyes, Neji activated the Byakugan and let her fingers roam over the pulsing veins.

He loves her. He trusts her. He's going to marry her someday. And no clan is going to stand in the way of that.

**END**


End file.
